Vacation Week I

Not to brag, but I just had the best week of vacation a girl could ask for. My train was two hours late, but after 8 hours sitting next to a very large wheezing lady, I arrieved in Seattle!

I stayed with Tobin and Allyson Sunday night through Thursday morning, then spent Thursday through Sunday afternoon with Julie before I caught the train back home!

Highlights from the trip:

- Professional massages with Allyson.

- Lunch at Agua Verde (best Mexican food I’ve ever had, seriously), and kayaking at Agua Verde on a beautiful, sunny 80 degree day.

Kayaking between Lake Washington and Lake Union

- Cooking and eating yummy food out of Simply in Season.

- The Ballard Locks - we watched the boats go through the locks, saw trains and airplanes, watched the fish climb their ladder and had a picnic in the grassy area.

The Kids at the Ballard Locks

- Shopping all afternoon in downtown Seattle with my bestfriend Julie.

At Pikes Place in Seattle

- The Farmer's Market in the community where Tobin and Allyson live.

- Seeing a Bear in Leavenworth!


- Relaxing and recreating on Lake Chelan (soaked in the sun, swam in the beautifully clear lake, rode in the boat, learned to wake surf, played games, ate yummy food, and enjoyed the fireworks show).

Julie and I tubing - before we broke the handles

Learning to Wake Surf

- Chopstix - a dueling piano bar in Belltown (Seattle).

At Chopstix

- Church with Allyson ad Tobin at Wallingford United Methodist Church (the first time in quite a long time that I have felt more positive leaving church than I did going in).

Here is part of the liturgy I loved so much.

Prayer for Our Giving:
“O God, through the offering of these gifts may we become a more open people…
open-minded in hearing your word and wisdom,
open-hearted in healing a broken world,
open-handed in heeding your call for charity and enacted love.
With thanks for all good gifts,
We present a portion of our substance and the whole of ourselves. Amen.”

and...

Prayer of Confession:
“Creating and Sustaining God, your great commandment in Christ is that we love one another as Christ has loved us. We confess that we fail to embrace your liberating love. We divide where you would unite. We exclude where you would embrace. We choke the breath from your Word when its truth does not accommodate our fears. Forgive our hardness of heart. Mend our broken human family. Breathe into us the living Word of all-inclusive love. We ask in the name of your Child, our Brother, Jesus, the Healer of our souls. Amen.”

The church also had “Summer Choir” which invited anyone who desired to join, to go to the front, pick up the piece of music, divide into sections, and sing for the congregation. As Winn girls, Allyson and I naturally went forward to join. What a fun and interactive way to worship!

I arrived back in Eugene tonight, and it was great to see Tim again. We’re not as good at long distance as we once were.

Two Weeks of Vacation!

Starting Friday I have two weeks of paid vacation! The only downside is that Tim will not be able to take time off, which has changed my plans slightly. We had planned to go camping with his family in North Idaho, but that will not be happening now. Tim and I are leaving for a wedding tomorrow evening (Tim is the best man), and we will return Sunday in time for me to catch the train to Seattle. I am still visiting my cousin Allyson for a few days, and Julie and I will still spend the days around the fourth of July together in Seattle and on Lake Chelan. Then I will return to Eugene for our first anniversary (where did the time go?) on the 7th. But rather than go to North Idaho during my second week of vacation, I will be taking the train (15 hours overnight each way) to Berkeley to visit Aaron and Amber! I will also hopefully meet up with Reid while I'm in the Bay area and get to tour Pixar, where he is interning this summer! Needless to say, I am very very excited about the next two weeks. I am feeling the need for a significant amount of time off, and this is the perfect remedy!

I will post pictures after my fabulous two week hiatus.

Graduation Weekend & Father's Day!

Tim Graduated from the UofO with a B.S. in Business Administration (minor in Economics)

With my family - I just love them!

With Tim's family - I love them too... but I look like a midget!

We also celebrated Father's day with my dad while he was in Eugene. The weather was beautiful all weekend, and we got to play tennis (dad's gift from Tim and I was a new racket, something he hadn't bought in something like 25 years)! And we went out for lunch, took naps, played cards, watched a movie... just had a great relaxing day together. (see more pictures of the weekend here.)

I'm thankful for the wonderful people in my life!

Moving Forward...

Even as Barack Obama moves forward after the final Democratic primaries this week, I move forward in my job search. Though my life is really no comparison to Obama's - I feel like I'm on cloud nine right now, as I'm sure he must have felt when he clinched more than the needed 2,118 delegates to secure his nomination as the Democratic candidate for President.

What I'm getting at is ... I got the job at Hecht & Norman Immigration Law Offices!! I will start as a Legal Assistant on August 5th. This is good news on so many levels.

First of all, I get to quit this boring and mind numbing job for something much more challenging, inspiring, and interesting! Also, I will be able to take at least eight days of paid vacation before I have to turn in my two weeks notice. I'm hoping I can use a day or two of vacation time (combined with a weekend) and slip up to Seattle on the train to visit my cousin Allyson and her family, and also spend some time with my best friend Julie at their cabin on Lake Chelan. Tim and I will take a few days to camp at Lake Pend Orielle (in North Idaho) with his family in July. And I can take that trip to San Francisco/Berkeley to visit Amber and Aaron the first few days of August before I start the new job. I will spend June and July reading up on immigration law and refreshing my Spanish. I've downloaded long lists of podcasts in Spanish, and will be doing my best to listen to them as often as possible - surrounding myself with the language in hopes of soaking it in and pouring it back out on the job.

Though I will be stressed beyond belief for the first few months, will take a slight pay cut, and will be without health insurance for three months, I am oh so excited about this job change. It seems that all the applying, interviewing, and hoping for jobs that I didn't get in the last several months has prepared me for today. This job is, by far, the best fit of all the jobs I've applied for. The timing is perfect, and the people seem to be enjoyable, intelligent and quite cosmopolitan, really. Just what I've been yearning for. And, most importantly, this job pertains to something I actually care about, and it's a job that could turn into a career...

Truth or Consequences

As I may have mentioned in previous posts, I love Thomas Friedman. This recent Op-Ed column he wrote reaffirmed my admiration. I have recently been contemplating what stance a wise presidential candidate should take concerning oil and gas prices and our energy policy, and then what do you know... Friedman addresses the issue. What if we did as Friedman proposes, then focus the revenue generated from the gas taxes to improve, expand and provide more subsidies for our public transportation throughout the country? Sounds like a step in the right direction to me. Any thoughts?

Interview with a Female Polyglot Lawyer

I had an interview today at Hecht & Norman, LLC. I interviewed with Hecht - the founding partner of the firm. She speaks 5 languages fluently and 3 semi-fluently. Needless to say, I felt like a nobody. Furthermore, I learned that every person employed by this law office speaks at least Spanish and English fluently. I felt a bit out of my league. But I walked in there like I owned the place (thank you, Amber) and showed them what I've got.

What I've got:
-A degree in International Relations with a minor in Philosophy (not bad for an immigration law office)
-Spanish language skills which I haven't used in 2 years (a good base, but not immediately accessible)
-A desire to be involved in law and help people
-A deep interest in immigration
-A desperate need to find a job I care about, which requires me to use my brain, and does not bore me to death
-Job experience that does not directly pertain to this position

What they've got:
-A job with a purpose in which I am very much interested
-Great on-the-job training - by the time they're done training me they said I would know as much as they do, meaning I can be a vital part of helping immigrants wade through the bureaucratic red tape that is our naturalization process
-Room for upward mobility and a supportive attitude toward further education
-A location that is close to home - I could bike to work!
-A cosmopolitan team of fun women - yes, I would be going from an all male workplace to an all female one

Needless to say, I feel very intimidated, but excited about the prospect of this job. My Spanish was very very rusty, and my interviewers recognized that (obviously). But I also fooled them into believing that I was their top candidate out of all their interviews and resumes thus far and they said I would fit the job very well. They perceived me to be intelligent, passionate and an enjoyable person who would fit in well with the team. This is all good news. I have them fooled! I wouldn't start until July, if they offer me the job. Hopefully I will find out within the next two to three weeks if I got the job or not. Things seem to be looking up in the job prospects part of my life.

I would be very challenged in the first few months (or years?) of the job, but it would be very rewarding both personally and professionally. It is right up my alley and would certainly get my language back up to par! The ladies all speak English and Spanish to each other, so I would pick it up again pretty quickly (I hope).

It's strange how my excitement and intimidation can live simultaneously inside of me. I'm scared of the job - whether or not I would be up to it, but I'm also excited about the challenge and actually growing rather than shriveling up in boredom. I mean, reading news and facebooking at work is fun and all, but there comes a time when I need outside challenges and stimulation.

I will keep you all posted.

In other news:
-I started reading Eat Pray Love yesterday. I'm loving it so far.
-I bought some amazing Cole Haan black patent leather Nike Air peep toe pumps this weekend. Amazingly comfortable, and hott!!
-Tim and I got to see Stomp at the Hult Center in Eugene last night and they were fantastic live.
-Julie, one of my very best friends, is coming to visit this weekend and I can hardly wait!

Where to go next...

I have never been thrilled about my current job, but recent on-the-job happenings have made me even less excited to go to work in the morning. Getting up at 6:00 in the morning to be to work by 7:00 requires a drive, a desire to do the work that awaits me. I have no such drive for this job. I seem to go through feast and famine times here. Sometimes I have lots to do - even some creative projects that require my intellect and my imagination. But most of the time I have very little (or nothing) to do. I just can't handle the boredom.

So, I am, yet again, on the hunt for a new job. Just this week I have applied for an Executive Assistant position at Options Counseling Services in downtown Eugene. This job would be close enough to home that I could ride my bike, and I think I would feel more fulfilled being part of a group whose purpose is to support people through their dark times and help them come out the other side stronger and more prepared to take on the world.

I've also applied for a bilingual Office Assistant position with Hecht & Norman Immigration Law. This would also be much closer to home, and is close to my heart - serving immigrants. I have an interview with them next Thursday, and will be receiving a call sometime this week from a woman who will test my Spanish skills. So, I've been brushing up on my Spanish while I'm bored at work this week. I've learned about heart transplants, car wrecks, sun screen, wine, being too full, and most importantly job interviews in Spanish. Hopefully this little refresher course will pay off. It has at least required me to use a part of my brain that has lain dormant for a couple of years. I was almost surprised to learn that I was assesed as an Upper Intermediate by the site. I guess I haven't lost it all.

Finally, I applied for an Administrative Assistant position with the biotechnology firm Invitrogen, a company I have actually interviewed with before.

We will see how all of this goes. I would be sad to leave Grenzebach right now, since I have been saving up my paid time off for summer activities and I would lose all of that if I left. But I really feel like I will be happier and more fulfilled in a job change. I have managed to stay in this position for nearly a year now. I'm ready to move on.... and I know Tim is ready for me to be less grumpy when I get home from work!

Happy Mother's Day! I owe you, Mom...

A little something that came through my e-mail box this week: (I added the last one, as it was something I always internally laughed at when my mom would use it.)

1. My mother taught me to APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE:
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me about RELIGION:
"You'd better pray that will come out of the carpet!"

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL:
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC:
"Because I said so, that's why!"

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC:
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT:
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY:
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS:
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM:
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA:
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER:
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY:
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE:
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION:
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY:
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION:
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING:
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE:
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP:
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR:
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT:
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS:
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS:
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. My mother taught me about JUSTICE:
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

And finally, one of my own (just for you, mom!).
26. My mother taught me about ANATOMY:
"Stop standing there with your teeth in your mouth!"

One Year Down

I graduated from college a year ago today. I only remember the precise date because it was a cool one, 05/06/07, followed by a cool wedding date almost exactly two months later, 07/07/07. Digression aside, today's marking one year of post-baccalaureate life seems impossible. Have I really been out of school for that long?

This realization brings many questions to mind. In much the same way as Amber reflected upon her life since graduation, I ask myself what I have done with the last year. I suppose a lot has happened; I mean, I married the love of my life, moved to a new city, started (and kept) my first full-time, year-round job with benefits, made new friends, traveled to Georgia twice, learned to referee basketball, became a member of the Red Cross volunteer team, bought my first furniture, joined my first gym, started and maintained my first personal budget etc. It's been a VERY GOOD year!

But is my life heading in the direction I had hoped for it? Am I any closer to getting my Masters degree? Closer to working for an international aid agency? Closer to making a real difference in the world? Have I used my degree this year?

I suppose I consider this year a transitional waiting period in some ways. I'm not actually in a job that has anything to do with what I want to do with my life. But I'm gaining work experience and showing that I am dependable and skilled. I've got another couple of years to work while Tim finishes starts and finishes his Paramedic degree and then I'll go back for my Masters, so I guess I'm a year closer to starting my Masters. I guess I have used my degree this year in dealing with an international company and the challenges that come along with it. This is not how I had hoped and dreamed I would use my four years of university education, but it's a start. And after I get my Masters, four years from now, I will be a huge step closer to working for that international aid agency I hope to be a part of - thus making the type of difference in the world that I hope to make.

One year down, four years to go in my five-year plan.

In year number two, I will:
- Visit my cousin and her family in Seattle
- Grow my job skills and get at least one more raise and bonus
- Change jobs for one that offers more interaction with the public and more job responsibilities
- Go to Tim's family's summer vacation in North Idaho for the first time
- Use my wakeboard as much as possible
- Cook a new recipe once a week
- Visit Amber and Aaron in California at least once
- Get together with Julie at least once
- Go sky-diving for our first anniversary
- Float the Willamette River
- Stay fit
- Bike more
- Pay down my school debt - hopefully down to half its original amount by May 2009
- Plan a trip through Europe or a cruise through the Mediterranean for 2009
- Make new friends

Kingdom Patriotism (and other side news)

It is as though Jesus is Lord of the Spirit but Uncle Sam is Lord of the Flesh.

Mark Van Steenwyk at JesusManifesto.com wrote a post titled Onward Christian Soldiers yesterday that is absolutely fantastic. Aside from a couple of typos, his post eloquently describes and addresses what I have also experienced when discussing pacifism with those who consider my leanings unpatriotic and "disrespectful to those who fought in wars for the freedoms I enjoy". I mean no disrespect to those who gave their lives fighting for our country. I simply believe there is another better way - the way Jesus calls us to live. As Van Steenwyk writes: "Unless we are ready to die developing new nonviolent attempts to reduce conflict, we should confess that we never really meant that the cross was an alternative to the sword . . ." I desire to be as bold as Mark is in actively taking steps toward peace through pacifism. Please read the full article for the full effect.

On a completely different note, I spent two days in Georgia this week celebrating Grenzebach Corporation's 20th anniversary of business in the United States. We had lots of great food (German and Southern), drank thousands of dollars worth of German and American beers and wines, heard many politicians speak (including Governor Purdue, of Georgia ... woopee), and listened to the company band (flown over from Germany for our entertainment). Aside from missing my 6:00 AM flight out of Eugene Wednesday morning, the trip was relatively enjoyable though exhausting.

Also, congratulations to Josh Bailey who graduated from George Fox University (and got a girlfriend *winks*) on Saturday. It was great to see you, Josh.

The UN on Agriculture, Biofuels, and Rising Food Prices

This BBC News article came out this morning, and I thought it very fitting with the topic I've been discussing here in recent weeks.

"The UN body describes the need for action as urgent, warning that staple food prices are likely to continue to rise because of increased demand from countries like China and India, and the alternative use of maize and soya beans for biofuels."

What was I writing about yesterday? We need to continue exploring biofuel options other than those that consume staple foods, so as not to adversely effect those who already struggle to feed their families.

A follow up

It has taken me far too long to follow up on my last post. Thank you Amber for nudging me back into the world of the blogging.

The day after I posted I discussed the issue with my father the agriculturalist, educator, and small-scale biofuel producer and came to some not-so-surprising (but interesting nonetheless) conclusions which I will share with you.

- It is not "greedy" of the United States (or the rest of the so-called 1st world) to use corn and other grain crops to produce biofuels. Granted, we may not have considered the unwitting side effects that would be detrimental to the poor of our world. However, I do not consider it "greedy" for us to produce a fuel that is better for our environment and actually costs those who use it more than regular petrol.

- Semantics aside, according to my very knowledgeable father, it is not possible for the globe to produce sufficient crops to feed the world AND provide biofuels (from edible agricultural crops) to the entire world. Obviously our usage of grain crops to produce biofuels does effect the amount of food available to the rest of the world. Thankfully there are other options for producing biofuels. For example, scientists and agriculturalists are currently experimenting with algae for eco-friendly fuels - a very sustainable option which would hopefully not be as detrimental to the poor and starving in the world. There are several other agricultural-esk options currently in the works, but I can't remember the specifics of them all. The important point here is that we can move away from using edible crops for fuel production, and toward capturing what would otherwise be waste and turning it into a solution for our fuel-thirsty nation.

- The production of biofuels is certainly not the only, or even the main, reason for food price increases. The cost of fuel in general has risen considerably in recent years, making the transportation of food more costly. Farmers did not have as high of yields as expected worldwide - some areas of the agricultural world were hit hard by drought, others by severe storms. This drove yields quite low. These reasons and others have caused the soaring food prices that hit the poorest of the poor the hardest.

Any further thoughts on this topic from all you other knowledgeable and thoughtful people in my loyal blog readership?!

Biofuels: "Greed Overtaking the Common Good"

BBC News reported today that Indian Finance Minister P Chidambaram "has said that it is 'outrageous' that developed countries are turning food crops into bio fuels."

As I read the brief article, I was caught up in the complexity of the issue. In an attempt to decrease carbon emissions (thus lessening our damage to the environment) and our dependence on foreign oil, we have managed to create an even worse situation for poorer countries. With 20% of corn crops heading for biofuel production (along with other grains, sugar cane and soybeans), food prices have soared. Did we not consider this before beginning such vast biofuel production? And are there not more corn, grain, sugar cane, and soybean acres being planted to make up for the difference? I don't actually know what the statistics are, but it's tragic that our efforts to decrease our carbon footprints have had such a negative immediate effect upon our own food prices, and that of poorer countries. We are interconnected and the byproducts of our choices effect many.

My mind then wonders - is there a viable solution to this problem? Can't we produce enough of these necessary crops to keep food prices at a reasonable level (for our sake and the sake of those much less fortunate), and at the same time produce these renewable fuel options that are less damaging to our planet? My father the agriculturalist educator and small-scale biofuel producer probably has some light to shed on this topic... Maybe I'll discuss it with him in search of answers. Anyone else?

Obama in Eugene!!

Senator Barack Obama made an appearance at McArthur Court (known as"the pit" for how loud and intimidating it is for opposing teams playing the Ducks there in basketball) in Eugene Friday night, and I made sure to be there! I had Friday off in observance of Good Friday, so that allowed me plenty of time to stand in line for hours with friends as we awaited our chance at seeing Barack Obama speak live and in person.

We were not disappointed. I was impressed and inspired by Obama's "A More Perfect Union" speech last week, as were many ministers around the United States who apparently spoke on the same topic during their Easter sermons or homilies this Easter Sunday. And I was not let down by Obama's Eugene speech. I was inspired by his vision for education - from preschool to college and beyond, and his vision for restoring America's morality by helping other countries gain access to clean water and appropriate housing. I was impressed by his compassion for those who are less fortunate, and for his desire do teach our young people not just to be good at science and math, but to be well-rounded and well-informed citizens of the United States. I am impressed that he has not financed his campaign on even one dollar of from special interest groups, but has rather raised all his campaigning dollars from over 1 million people across the nation - and he has raisd an un-precedented amount of money for his campaign!

Obama has convinced me that he is able and ready to take on the most challenging issues our nation and our world have to throw his way, and to do so in a way that I can be proud of.

You can check out a slide show of professional pictures with audio here, and see the whole Eugene speech here. And you can click here to see more pictures I took at the rally.

Tim and I - still waiting in line... (and pointing to my Obama '08 sticker)

OBAMA!!!

Kissing babies...

And shaking hands...

Eighty

This weekend Tim and I traveled back to Eastern Oregon for my grampa's 80th birthday celebration! I love my grampa dearly, and enjoyed spending time with him around his special day. My grandma was also in the hospital following her knee-replacement surgery, so we got to visit her in the hospital too!

I baked my grandpa's birthday pie - mixed berry in the shape of a heart - and made my first lemon meringue pie too! The lemon pie came out beautiful (that's me pulling it out of the oven) even though the crust was a bit too hard. My mother and aunt Kathy made the meal, which was delicious, and the company was precious.

Grampa got to visit with a small group of family and friends around dinner and dessert. He also received a bundle of letters, cards and birthday greetings from family and friends who have known him throughout his life. These were very special to him, as he cherishes the written word - especially from his family and friends. After dinner he shared with us a poem sent to him on his birthday by one of his favorite professors at Blue Mountain Community College. I love the look I captured of him reading from the poem his professor sent. He really gets into his poetry reading!

Grampa's 80th birthday was definitely worth the long (though rushed) trip back home!